Afghanistan
Asia Β· Capital: Kabul
How it is run: Afghanistan is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Afghanistan is home to 43.8 million people in Southern Asia, where people speak Dari, Pashto, Turkmen.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
43.8 million people
That is 0.5% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
652,230 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 67 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
15th most people in Asia
11th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Dari, Pashto, Turkmen
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Afghan afghani (Ψ)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
66.3 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$417
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
25.9% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
42.6% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+93
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.af
π§ People here are called
Afghan
π·οΈ Name at home
Ψ§ΩΨΊΨ§ΩΨ³ΨͺΨ§Ω Β· Owganystan
Also written: AfΔ‘ΔnistΔn.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Afghanistan is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
AfganistΓ‘n
French
Afghanistan
Arabic
Ψ£ΩΨΊΨ§ΩΨ³ΨͺΨ§Ω
Chinese
ιΏε―ζ±
Japanese
γ’γγ¬γγΉγΏγ³
Russian
ΠΡΠ³Π°Π½ΠΈΡΡΠ°Π½
Portuguese
AfeganistΓ£o
German
Afghanistan
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 33.4Γ as many people as Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan covers roughly 6,212 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Afghanistan lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 21,922 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Afghanistan shares its part of the world with Iran. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
π·οΈ Official name
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
ποΈ Capital
Kabul
π Region
Asia Β· Southern Asia
π€ Country code
AF
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Afghanistan π
π§ Where on the map
33.0Β° N, 65.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+4 β when it is noon in London it is about 16:00 in Kabul.
- Afghanistan is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Afghanistan is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π¦π« is the flag of Afghanistan. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is AF.
- The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Afghanistan shares its part of the world with Iran. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Afghanistan has 3 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Afghanistan?
- If Afghanistan spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Afghanistan?
Kabul
Which money do people spend in Afghanistan?
Afghan afghani (Ψ)
How many countries share a land border with Afghanistan?
6 β Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China.
Roughly how many people live in Afghanistan?
43.8 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.